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Philly Fans Need to Find Some Patience

Lee Russakoff, Comcast SportsMon Sep 13, 4:47 PM UTC

I’ve been an Eagles fan all of my life. I’ve never run from it. Instead, I’ve tried to embrace it and ingrain it into my writing about the team. Objectivity is necessary when reporting on a team. But for columnists, we all need a slant. Mine is the fan’s perspective. Your perspective.

Which makes it hard to write this. But sometimes, what must be said must be said.

Eagles fans, stop it.

Stop it right now. You’re making us look silly.

Kevin Kolb is your quarterback. He will be your quarterback in the near-future, and hopefully long after that. Michael Vick played well yesterday. But he is not the answer. Not now, not next year, not ever.

End of story. End of controversy. Anyone who suggests otherwise either has no idea what he’s talking about or has no shame when it comes to trying to chase ratings.

Governor Rendell, who suggested on “Postgame Live” (Comcast Sportsnet) that it was time for the Eagles to “cut their losses” on Kolb, should be ashamed of himself.

The people on the airwaves I’ve listened to all of my life – the ones throwing a high-speed blender into the “controversy” today – should be ashamed themselves.

The 70 percent of fans (CSNPhilly.com poll) who are ready to jettison their QB of the future after 10 throws, should be ashamed of themselves.

The kid played one half. One half.

Most of you signed on for this. Most of you were ready to send the greatest QB in franchise history packing and try something new. Well this is what new feels like.

C’mon Philadelphia. You’re better than this. You’re acting like a bunch of 11-year-old girls who’ve decided Silly Bandz aren’t cool anymore because on the day you wore them, the boy in your class checked the “I don’t know” box on your “Do you like me?” note.

I would hope you would support who the Eagles are. Not, who they are not. These 53 individuals have made a choice to work, a choice to sacrifice, to put themselves on the line 16 times for the next four months, to represent you, this city. That kind of commitment and effort deserves and demands your respect. This is your team. Kevin Kolb is your quarterback.

The Eagles have invested draft picks, money and time into molding Kolb into their QB for the next decade. You don’t give up on him after one half.

And you definitely don’t give up on him for another inaccurate, 30-something QB who fits this offense like a size 2 dress on Jessica Simpson.

This is a young team in a tough league. The Eagles’ average age is just over 25. Twelve rookies made the team. There are going to be growing pains. Kolb can’t step on the field and be better than Donovan McNabb. Football doesn’t work like that. Life doesn’t work like that.

No one is blind. Everyone saw Kolb struggle. If you want to be concerned about that, if you want to worry about whether he has the chops to play in a league that has 31 of the smartest football minds in the world game-planning against him – I get that. Hell, you’d have to be blind and/or dumb to not walk away from Week 1 with some concern.

But to give up on him completely? Really, Philadelphia? Give the man a chance.

You want to fret over something? Complain about kick coverage (or lack thereof), that’s fair. Worry about the holes in the offensive line. Squirm about the defense in the absence of Stewart Bradley.